The German Shepherd is a newer breed. It originated in 1899 in Germany and was used for herding sheep. The breed was created when German ex-military member and veterinary student Max von Stephanitz saw a dog with admirable working qualities. The dog was strong and intelligent, with a superior sense of smell and fierce loyalty.
Von Stephanitz purchased the dog and bred it with his own working dogs. Eventually, he created the breed we now know as German Shepherds. Every German Shepherd today can be traced back to von Stephanitz and his breeding efforts.
The name of the breed has been a source of several controversies since its inception in 1899. The original name given to the breed by Max von Stephanitz translated literally to "German Shepherd Dog." In the 1940's, the Kennel Club officially changed the breed's name to Alsation Wolf Dog. The change was due to the fear that the breed would become unpopular because of widespread anti-German sentiments.
Not long after this name change, the general public began to fear that Alsation Wolf Dogs were actually wild and aggressive half wolves. While this was not true, the public's fear was enough to prompt the Kennel Club to change the name again, this time to simply Alsation.
Dog lovers in various countries pressured kennel clubs for another name change in 1977. This time, they asked that the breed revert to its original name. Since then, the official name of the breed has been German Shepherd Dog.
The original German Shepherd Dogs were used to herd and protect sheep on working farms in Germany. Since then, German Shepherds have been used in a variety of working capacities. Perhaps most well-known is their use as police and military working dogs. In rural settings, German Shepherds are extremely useful for search and rescue missions. Their keen sense of smell and dedication to pleasing their masters make them diligent workers.
In a more urban environment, German Shepherd Dogs are extremely useful for locating drugs, explosives and fleeing suspects. The strength of the dogs makes them ideal for taking down dangerous or running suspects. They are often used in airports and mail processing facilities to sniff out contraband in luggage and packages.
In recent years, some concerns have been raised about the safety of German Shepherd Dogs. There have been some reported cases of the dogs turning violent or attacking people. However, most of these cases are based on anecdotal evidence. Dogs tend to react aggressively when mistreated or threatened, or when protecting their masters. This has been the cause for many of the so-called German Shepherd 'attacks'.
Overall, German Shepherd Dogs are very safe to have around. In fact, they make outstanding guard dogs. They are protective of their owners and will often put themselves in danger to save their masters. They are currently the third most popular dog breed in the United States and enjoy popularity all over the world.
In Spain and the Balearic Islands especially, dog lovers appreciate the loyalty and beauty of this regal breed. According to licensing records, in fact, the German Shepherd Dog is the most popular dog breed in Menorca. The island has a reputation of being extremely safe. That reputation is thanks, in part, to these gentle working dogs. They are always on the job, protecting their adoptive families and keeping watch for any signs of trouble.
The German shepherd dog is known to be one of the most beautiful and devoted dogs around today. With its toughness and nobility, the breed can sometimes, unfortunately, get judged unfairly; though despite that, it still remains one of the most popular breeds of dog around today.
The History of the Breed
The German shepherd has not actually been around for a long period of time. It was developed in the late 1880's when a man named Captain Max von Stephanitz decided to standardize the breed.
He saw a wolf like dog at a show in Western Germany and he noticed just how energetic, tough, steady and intelligent the dog actually was. It was medium in size and the dog was also a natural sheepherder which knew exactly what to do. So Captain Max von Stephanitz bought the dog and named him ?Horand von Grafrath?.
That was the first ever registered German shepherd dog.
So the main purpose of the breed was to herd cattle and sheep. The main priority was to develop a dog which was intelligent and stable. The looks of the dog were not as important; just as long as the breed could herd really well that was all that mattered. If a dog was born that was not intelligent and which would not obey its owner then it was automatically classed as being useless.
At first, mistakes were made with inbreeding. Captain Max von Stephanitz would breed the pups with their half sisters and the daughters of dog's sons. This created a lot of problems with the breed and eventually dogs were brought in that were not related by blood.
Another problem also occurred which needed to be addressed and that was the fact that the pastoral era had started to decline. As the main purpose of the German shepherd was to herd, the fact that the pastoral era was declining meant that it was likely that the breed would no longer be needed.
German Shepherds were then introduced into police dog roles as well as for tracking and guarding purposes.
Throughout the war, the breed was even used as a Red Cross dog and they were also used partially as messenger dogs, too. So they certainly had a wide range of purposes throughout the war period. As time went on, various breeders started to experiment with the German shepherd and a newer version of the breed was developed.
However it had a faulty temperament and Captain Max von Stephanitz was horrified. The breed may not have been around for a large amount of time, but for the time it has been developed, it has changed quite a lot.
Its popularity after World War II meant that Americans became interested in the German Shepherd and they were developed completely differently to the German standard.
These days the German shepherd is mainly a companion dog but it is also widely used as a police dog and a guarding dog, too. Its temperament has changed over the years, though it still has a fantastic working instinct.
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John E Adams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Internet Marketing, Terrier Dogs and Dog Breeds. copyright John Adams. Dog Breeds Explained. Choose the right dog for you. Compare the German Shepherd to every other dog breed